Trinidad and Tobago sets January 2027 launch for regulated online gambling

Trinidad and Tobago will launch its regulated online gambling market by January 1, 2027. The Senate approved the Remote Gambling Order 2026 on October 2, after the House of Representatives gave it unanimous support. The order eliminates parts of Section 76 of the Gambling, Gaming and Betting Control Act that had made it a crime for operators based in the country to offer remote gambling services to international customers. Attorney General John Jeremie said the remaining administrative steps, including the licensing process for both local and foreign operators, should be complete by that date.

Government ministers argued the change will create economic benefits and new tax revenue. Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo said the old law imposed fines and prison sentences of up to ten years on operators serving foreign markets. He pointed to the existing regulated sector, which includes over 1,150 registered accounts and generated about TTD 72.66 million last year. "Figures demonstrate that regulated gaming already provides a measurable revenue stream and reinforce the importance of bringing additional gambling activity within the formal system," Tancoo said. He added that remote gambling could significantly expand the country's tax base.

Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Kennedy Swaratsingh said the reform would allow Trinidad and Tobago to tap into a global industry forecast to be worth US$700 billion by 2028. "Overall, the data indicates overall growth in the sector. In light of the objective of this order, which is to legislate remote gambling and create economic opportunity, the figures paint a positive picture for Trinidad and Tobago in the gambling sector," he added. Swaratsingh said the order would let licensed operators offer remote gambling under strict rules. "We intend to do this through proper regulation, rather than simply permitting unrestricted gambling activity," he said. Before the market goes live, the Gambling Control Commission will work with the Central Bank to set up payment systems and licensing for electronic money issuers. Swaratsingh noted that the country's main gambling laws were written before the internet era and could not address modern unregulated activity. The removal of the international service prohibition is meant to attract igaming companies to use Trinidad and Tobago as a base for domestic and foreign operations.

During debate, Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi raised concerns about the speed of the bill's passage and asked for more details on licensing rules. He also questioned how the government would handle potential outflows of foreign exchange. Jeremie responded that those matters would be dealt with by January. Tancoo had earlier told parliament that a recent enforcement drive from late 2025 to early 2026 resulted in 247 payments from 240 tax accounts, worth about $15.58 million. "The revenue implications to TT are very positive as there’s the ability to gain revenue on a global scale if this remote gambling industry becomes successful," Tancoo said.